Maguire delight for Hobbs

Massini’s Maguire gave the Philip Hobbs team a fine start to day two of the Cheltenham Festival when causing a 20-1 upset in the opening Ballymore Properties Novices’ Hurdle.

After the disappointment of Detroit City and the defeat of Fair Along yesterday, Hobbs and jockey Richard Johnson had reason to smile again.

Massini’s Maguire gamely made all the running and held on from Tidal Bay by a neck, with Catch Me a length and a half away in third.

A stewards’ inquiry was announced but it was believed not to affect the winner.

Johnson dictated affairs from the start and got an uncontested lead by a couple of lengths in the early stages, followed by Imperial Commander and My Turn Now.

The favourite Aran Concerto soon recovered after making a mistake at halfway, but his chance disappeared when he stumbled after jumping two out when the leaders got close together.

Massini’s Maguire found more on the run to the last, but had to be vigorously ridden to hold Tidal Bay and Catch Me in the closing stages.

Johnson told Channel 4 Racing: ``He's done it really well. The opening day didn't really go very well for us and he's had some on and off days, but he's produced it on the right day.

“You always want the winning post to come when you’re out in front, but the ground has probably dried up a bit and he’s a really brave horse.

“He’s won twice around here now and he kept going up the hill.”

Somerset-based trainer Hobbs said: ``Having had those two (Detroit City and Fair Along) beaten yesterday we thought that was it for Cheltenham this year.

“He has to be handy and likes to go wide and he doesn’t want to be crowded. He ended up in front as they hadn’t gone too fast and he did it very well.

“He always runs well at Cheltenham and wasn’t beaten far here by Wichita Lineman, who is favourite for the Brit Insurance on Friday, so why we were 20-1 I don’t know.

“He has been inconsistent once or twice, but I don’t know why as he is genuine.”

Owner Graham Wylie said of Tidal Bay: ``I'm over the moon. It was a great race and he very nearly got there, but they were all good horses.''

Edward O’Grady, trainer of third-placed Catch Me said: “He’s run well, but you’re never happy when you’re beaten.

“We’ll have a look now, but I’d say he’ll stay hurdling next year.”

Of vanquished favourite Aran Concerto, trainer Noel Meade said: “He ran very disappointingly.

"Tony (McCoy) said he just didn’t settle and that if he rode him again he would ride him up there with the pace.

“He wouldn’t relax today and he fluffed his lines and stumbled 10 strides after the second-last hurdle.

“Tony also said he was very babyish and would have been better in the Supreme Novices’ yesterday, where they went a much better gallop.

“We call where we are standing now the long-faced parade ring, but it’s not the end of the world.”